Bottle holder



Sept. 15, 1942- H. K. POWELL BOTTLE HOLDER Filed May 5, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Pom/ed,

ATTORNEYS P 1942- H. K. POWELL 2,296,228

BOTTLE HOLDER Filed May 5, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VENTOR. Hera .ii Pawel ATTORNEYH- Patented Sept. 15, 1942 some norm-m Henry K. Powell, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Morris Paper Mills, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application May 5, 1939, Serial No. 271,827

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in containers or receptacles, of th collapsible or knockdown type. which are adapted for the packaging and holding of a plurality of bottles or similar articles in a manner such that they are retained securely and may be carried, as a unit, with ease and convenience.

This application is a continuation in part of my United States applications Serial No. 196,230, filed March 16, 1938, and Serial No. 206,127, filed May 5,, 1938, Patent No. 2,206,918 having been granted on the last mentioned.

A general object of the invention is the provision of such a container which may be manufactored very economically from paper board or similar inexpensive sheet material with minimum waste, and in a form such that in its collapsed or knocked-down condition it occupies relatively small space, so that it, may be conveniently packaged for storage or shipment, and yet may be set up at the point of use very quickly and easily by simple hand operations, without requiring any special equipment or additional fastenings.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a container which will retain a plurality of bottles very securely against rattling or falling out, yet in a disposal such that they may be displayed or seen with facility, and maybe removed, one or more, when desired, without involving any mutilation, dismantling or unfolding of the device.

Yet another object is the provision of such a container which, after being set up, will retain its set-up form, even after some or all of its contents have'been removed, ready to receive the bottles again after they have been emptied, thus forming a convenient repository for them and a means for conveniently packaging and returning them to the place of purchase.

A particular object of the invention is the provision of a receptacle having the characteristics mentioned above and which is of a construction that permits its being manufactured of fairly light paper board and yet have the very considerable amount of strength necessary to support the weight of a halfdozen bottles of beverages or the like so as to function as a carrier for same.

Yet another object is the provision of a container having the characteristics specifiedabove and which does not project or extend materially beyond the base area of its assembled contents,

thus permitting a plurality of the filled packages to be packed in cases or trays of the standard portation of a dozen or two dozen of the bottles involved.

Another obiectis the provision of a construction for a bottle holder or the like, comprising a collapsible p per board body member and a separately preformed handle of still wire or the like, and including features for facilitating the interlocking of the handle with the body member without requiring any reforming of either of them.

Yet another object is the provision of a bottle carrier having the characteristics above specified and which affords a suitable play or flexibility for th handle relative to the paper board body portions, thereby relieving the latter of stresses which might tear it from the handle when the package is swung or shifted while suspended by the handle.

Other and further objects of the invention will be pointed out or indicated hereinafter, or will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the invention or employment of it in use.

For the purpose of aiding in an explanation of the invention I show in the'accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and hereinafter described, variou forms in which it and its several features may be embodied. It is to be understood, however, that these are presented merely for purpose of illustration, and hence are not to be construed in anyfifashion for the purpose of limiting the appended claims short of the true and most comprehensive scope of the invention in the art.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of container embodying the invention, the device being shown in its set-up condition and ready for reception of its contents, and representing it as viewed from a position at one end and slightly above it;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same container with its contents of six bottles assembled in it;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank sheet material from which the body member of the receptacle illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is made, showing same before any folding has been done;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same blank showing it after marginal portions have been folded inwardly and secured in place as by adhesive;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the body member in its completed form and in a partially collapsed condition;

v si'zes ordinarily used for the handling or trans- ,Fig. 6 is a sectional view serving to illustrate how the preformed wire handle is attached to and interlocked with the body member illustrated in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of a modified form of container embodying the invention, same being shown in its set-up condition and ready for reception of its contents;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a girth or retainer member employed as a part of th device illustrated in Fig. 7, same being shown on a somewhat larger scale and in a collapsed or flat folded condition;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a second modifled form of container, showing same in its setup condition with the exception of one of the end strips or retainer members, which is shown in its fiat condition; and

Fig. 10 is a detail representing the lower end portion of yet another modified form of container embodying the invention, the modified feature residing in the lower end construction here illustrated.

In the retail sale and distribution of beverages and similar commodities which are put up in bottles or the like, it is a matter of considerable difficulty to package a plurality of such bottles in a manner such that they will be retained securely and yet may be carried conveniently as a unit by the purchaser. The present invention is designed to meet the need for an economical and convenient receptacle which may be used for this purpose. I further have in view the importance, to the retailer or bottler, of having the empty bottles returned to him, and in order to facilitate and encourage such returns, I provide a receptacle which is not in any fashion mutilated or harmed by the removal of its original contents, and which consequently is adapted to function as a convenient means for use by the purchaser as a repository for the empty bottles and for their return to the place of purchase. It is quite essential that the cost of such containers to the bottler or user be very low, but at the same time, in view of the fact that the weight of a half dozen bottles of beverage is quite considerable, it is likewise essential that the containers possess very substantial strength. The present invention provides a container which meets these requirements very effectively, and the nature of it will be most quickly ascertained from the folrelationship on crease lines a which define the inner limits of flap portions Ila and lib at the lowing detailed description of the illustrative emfirst to Fig. 3, which represents the blank from which the body member of the receptacle is formed. This blank is cut from a suitable sheet material, such as paperboard havin e necessary strength and proper stiffness, and is in the nature of an elongated strip or sheet slotted or creased to form a bottom panel Ill having side panels Ii and il' extending from its opposite side margins and susceptible of being flexed to upstanding positions along crease lines a. The side panels are also subdivided by transverse fold creases b, g and p, and slotted at D to sever three sides of tabs l2, which may be swung inwardly on the crease lines 0 to provide apertures D (see Fig. 1) through the upper portions of the side panels. These apertures extend across the greater portion of the width on the side panels. On the longitudinal medial line of the bottom ends of the blank.

The blank is also creased or scored longitudinally along. lines it at an appropriate distance from its opposite side margins, to provide margin strips adapted to be folded inwardly upon the adjacent surface portions of the bottom and side panels. These margin strips are wide enough to overlap the end portions of the slots D and hence are cutout at J so as to conform to them. The margin strips are also slotted transversely at K in alignment with the fold creases b and may be likewise slotted at the ends of creases p. and they are scored obliquely on lines L extending diagonally from the corners of the bottom panel Ill.

After the blank has been thus formed, which may be done in a single blanking operation, an adhesive is applied to the portions of the margin strips which are marked with stippling in Fig. 3, and the margin strips are then folded inwardly along the score lines h, into the relationship shown in Fig. 4, and pressed down flat upon the adjacent portions of the bottom and side panels, so that the parts bearing the adhesive are secured in that relationship. Accordingly, there are thus provided end strips i6 which overlie the end portions of the bottom panel and which remain integral with the end margins thereof but otherwise are free of it; and along both margins of the side panels are thus provided reinforcing strips I5 whichare adhesively secured to them. It will be observed that these reinforcing strips extend continuously along the ends of the apertures D.

After the margin strips have thus been folded and secured in position, the outer portions of the side panels are bent inwardly along the crease lines b until they come flat against the subjacent portions of the sheet. the notches K being provided to facilitate such bending. The parts are so proportioned that this will bring the crease lines a into register, with the flap lia overlapping a portion of the side panel ii inwardly beyond its crease line 0, and the flap iia is fastened to the side panel il' in that relationship by the adhesive. Thus the handle holes F are brought into superimposed register with the handle holes F.

. This completes the body member of the receptacle, in the form illustrated in Fig. 5, excepting that as here illustrated the device is not in its completely flattened or collapsed condition, wherein upper portions of the side panels rest flat upon the bottom panel I 0. It is in this flat collapsed condition that the body members are stacked and packaged for shipment.

For use with this body member there is provided a preformed handle which may be made of stiif metallic wire, in the form illustrated in Fig. 6, same comprising a bail portion 20 having its opposite ends arranged as parallel legs, and Journal portions 204 extending in alignment toward each other from the ends of the bail portion. The spacing of the outer ends of the journal portion, or the legs of the bail portion, corresponds with the spacing of the handle holes F. This handle is attached to and interlocked with the body member in the fashion illustrated in Fig. 6. One of the journal portions 20a is inserted through the handle hole at one side of the body member, and the body member is bowed or panel iii are formed two elongated holes E, and arched sufliciently to permit the inner end of the opposite journal member 20a to be inserted through the opposite handle hole, substantially as shown in said figure. The holes E accommodate the entry of the journal portions 20a, and after both journals are thus inserted, the body member is released so as to spring back to its fiat form, thus bringing the handle holes F out to the leg portions of the bail and securely looking the handle to the body member.

It is thus to be observed that the handle is attached to the body member by very simple manual operations which may be performed at the place where the receptacle is to be put into use and without requiring any special equipment. To complete the setting-up of the receptacle, the sides of the body member are pressed inwardly at the crease linesb (see Fig. or the connected ends of the side panels drawn upwardly by means of the handle thus swinging the side panels inwardly along the crease lines b and upwardly along the crease lines a, until they assume the relationship illustrated in Fig. 1. To accommodate this operation, the holes E permit the Journal portions of the handle to pass through the bottom section, and the crease lines p facilitate the flexing of the upper parts of the side panels relative to the intermediate parts 3 and holding the opposite rows of bottles in close contact with each other or against the intervening tabs l2. Thuswhen the package is car-- thereof. At the same time, by virtue of the freeried, the bottles are effectively held against rattling and securely retained against withdrawal.

When carried by the handle, the body member is free to swing on the Journal portions 20a, thereby relieving the paper board material of stresses which might tend to tear or weaken it where the handle is connected. Also, the handle may be swung laterally or pushed downwardly to a position where its ball is below the tops of the bottles, so as to permit another similar package to be supported on the tops of the bottles.

In order to remove one or more of the bottles, the package is set down upon its bottom, and thereupon the intermediate bottles may be withdrawn upwardly through the apertures D. Then any of the end bottles may be moved laterally in the aperture D sumciently to clear the adjacent portion ilc, whereupon the bottle {nay be withdrawn upwardly through the aperure.

It is to be observed that the removal of one or more of the bottles does not involve any dismantling, mutilatiorr'or unfolding of the receptacle in any fashion, and as a consequence the receptacle may remain in its complete set- 7 up condition, ready to receive the empty bottle or bottles. It thus serves as a convenient repository in which the purchaser can store the they reach positions approximately perpendicuin two rows of three each. The height and width of the side sections are selected with reference to the height and diameter of the bottles, so that the positions of the apertures D are below the tops of the bottles and the length of said apertures is less than the aggregate maximum diameters of the three bottles. Accordingly,

in order to insertthe bottles, the tabs I! are swung inwardly along the crease lines c, and

the bottles are inserted downwardly, bottom first,

bottles inserted through each aperture are moved to the opposite ends of the aperture, where they come up against the narrow panel portions Ho. The third bottle of each row is then inserted between the two end bottles, thus completing the package in approximately the form fllustrated in Fig. 2.

With the package soassembled, the bottles are retained by the end strips l4 against sliding of! of the bottom panel, and are retained by the side panel portions tie against toppling out of the ends of the receptacle. The dimensions of the receptacle are so chosen that the bottles may be thus inserted freely, but when the package is supported by the handle, the traction of the weight of the bottles upon the side panels causes their upper portions to swing inwardly somewhat, thus exercising a clasping or cramping action against the outer sides of the bottles used by the 'bottler or the retailer for the packaging of another half dozen full bottles. When a body member is no longer fit for use, however, the handle may be detached and preserved for use on another body member, a single handle thus serving an infinite number of packages.

In addition to the various advantages specifically mentioned above, it is to be noted that this invention provides a body member which may be manufactured very economically and yet have the requisite strength, inasmuch asthe reinforcement provided by the reinforcing strips to the slender portions, such as He, permits the use of comparatively light paper board. Moreover, th setting-up operation is very simple inasmuch as the body member is made all in one piece and the end strips I are automatically positioned by the flexing of the side sections to the set-up positions. The receptacle does not project to any material extent in any direction beyond the group of bottles which it contains, and hence a plurality of these packages may be packed in .cases or trays of the same size as are customarily tainer having a somewhat modified construction.

As in the form first described, the body member is formed as an integral strip or blank of paper board, with a bottom section I II and side sections II and ii which are flexible to upstanding positions relative thereto along crease lines a. The

side sections are connected to each other at their upper ends, as above described, and slotted to form the tabs l2 and bottle receiving apertures as above described. They are also provided with the marginal reinforcing strips l5, and they are creased transversely at b so as to,permlt their upper portions being collapsed to a fiat folded position against their lower portions and the bottom section I Ill.

The bottom section, however, does not have the integral end strips and in lieu thereof a girth or retaining member is employed, same being of the form illustrated in Fig. 8, where it is designated generally by the reference numeral 30. It is formed as a strip of paper board with its ends connected so as to provide a continuous band, and it is creased transversely at 30d, so as to have a quadrilateral form when in its set-up condition, as shown in Fig. '7, with side strip portions 30a and end strip portions 30b and with flap extensions 300, which are flexible inwardly along crease lines 30c, so that they will fit between the opposite side panels I i and I l' and rest flat upon the bottom section H0, as shown. This construction is claimed in my Patent No. 2,284,682, granted June 2, 1942. The body member is provided with a handle 20, as of the type above described.

A second modification is illustrated in Fig. 9. Here the body member is formed as a continuous strip of paper board or the like, creased transversely to form a bottom panel 2m, and the opposite side panels H and II' which are conjoined thereto along crease line a. These side panels are connected to each other at their upper ends, as above described, and they are also creased transversely at b to permit their being collapsed to the flat folded form as above described. They are also provided with the bottle receiving apertures and tabs I! in their upper portions, and with the marginal reinforcing strips l5, as above described. The end strip portions 2 remain integral with the bottom section and are foldable to upstanding positions on crease lines h and retained'by sheet metal stay members 40, as more fully explained in my Patent No. 2,206,918, granted July 9, 1940.

In Fig. 10 is illustrated a further modified detail in which the parts correspond with those of Fig. 9, with the exception that the metal stay strips are omitted, and to take their places the ends of the end strips 3 are extended and formed with hooks 3lla adapted to fold inwardly against the outer sides of the side panels II and II and engage in slots He in the adjacent portions of the side panels. This has the efiect of securing the end strips 3 in upstanding positions and also of bracing the side panels II and l l in upstanding positions.

The body members of these various modified constructions are collapsible to flat form, as first above described, and may be provided with the handle holes F and bottom slots E for attachment of a handle 20 of similar kind.

It is to be understood, however, that other and further modifications of various details of the construction may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A collapsible container for carryingbottles or the like comprising a sheet of paper board creased to provide a bottom panel of area to accommodate a plurality of the intended bottles in standing position thereon and side panels flexible to upstanding positions at opposite side margins of the bottom panel, said side panels being connected to each other at theirupper end portions and being creased transversely to permit the container to be collapsed to flattened form with the upper portions of the side panels overlying the upper surface of the bottom panel, the sheet being provided with handle holes spaced from each other transversely of the side panels adjacent their upper ends, and a pre-formed rigid handle having a bail portion with rod-like journals extending toward each other in alignment from its opposite ends, the handle holes being spaced from each other approximately the same distance as are the outer ends of the handle journals and being of size to admit the journals when they are inserted lengthwise only, and the collapsed container being flexible to an arched form to move the handle holes close enough to each other to permit insertion of the handle journals lengthwise through them respectively.

2. A collapsible container for carrying bottles or the like comprising a sheet of paper board creased to provide a bottom panel of area to accommodate a plurality of the intended bottlesin standing position thereon and side panels flexible to upstanding positions at opposite side margins of the bottom panel, said side panels being connected to each other at their upper end portions and being creased transversely to permit the container to be collapsed to flattened form with the upper portions of the side panels overlying the upper surface of the bottom panel, the sheet being provided with handle holes spaced from each other transversely of the side panels adjacent their upper ends, and a pre-formed rigid handle having a bail portion with journals extending toward each other in alignment from its opposite ends and of cross-sectional size such as to permit them to be threaded longitudinally through the handle holes, the handle holes being spaced from each other approximately the same distance as are the outer ends of the handle journals, and the collapsed container being flexible to an arched form to move the handle holes close enough to each other to permit insertion of the handle journals through them respectively,

a the bottom panel being provided with aligned holes underlying the handle holes and of a length approximating that of the respective handle journals.

3. A collapsible container for carrying bottles or the like comprising a sheet of' paper board creased to provide a bottom panel of area to accommodate a plurality of the intended bottles in standing position thereon and side panels flexible to upstanding positions at opposite side margins of the bottom panel, said side panels being connected to each other at their upper end portions and being creased transversely to permit the container to be collapsed to flattened form with the upper portion of the side panels overlying the upper surface of the bottom panel, and a pre-formed handle having a bail portion with slender journals extending toward each other from its opposite ends, the sheet being provided with handle holes adjacent the upper ends of the side panels and spaced from each other transversely thereof a distance approximately the same as the spacing of the outer ends of the handle journals, the bottom panel being provided with clearance holes underlying the handle holes,

the clearance holes being approximately as long as respective journals and the handle holes being but slightly larger than the cross section of the journals, and the collapsed container being flexible to an arched form to permit insertion of both journals longitudinally through the handle holes.

4. A collapsible container for carrying bottles or the like comprising a sheet of paper board creased to provide a bottom panel and side panels flexible to upstanding positions at opposite side margins of the bottom panel, said side panels having upper end portions fastened together in overlapped relationship and certain of said panels being creased to permit the container to be collapsed to flattened form, said sheet being provided with handle holes spaced transversely of the side panels in their overlapped upper end portions, and a pre-formed handle having a bail portion with journals extending toward each other from its opposite ends, the outer ends of said journals being spaced approximately the same distance as are said handle holes and the holes being of size to admit the journalswhen they are inserted endwise only, and the collapsed containerbeing flexible to arched form to mov the handle holes sufliciently close to each other to permit insertion of the handle journals longitudinally through respective holes.

5. A knock-down container for carrying bottles or the like comprising a sheet of paper board shaped to provide a bottom panel of area to accommodate a plurality of the intended bottles in standing position thereon and side panels flexible to upstanding positions at opposite side margins of the bottom panel and connected to each other at their upper nd portions, said sheet being crease'd transversely to permit the container to be knocked-down to flattened form, said sheet being provided with handle holes spaced transversely of the side panels in their upper end portions, and a pre-iormed'handle with a bail portion having parallel legs at its opposite ends and slender journals extending toward each other from the lower ends .0! said legs, the lower portions or said legs being spaced from each other approximately the same distance as lying the upper surface of the bottom panel, and a pre-formed han'dle having a. bail portion with parallel legs at its opposite ends and slender journals extending toward each other from the lower ends of said less, the sheet being provided with handle holes adjacent the upper ends of the side panels and spaced from each other transversely therof a distance approximately the same as the spacing of the legs of the handle, the bottom panel being provided with clearance holes underlying the handle holes, the clearance holes are said handle holes and the holes being of size to i admit the journals when they are inserted endwise only, and the container when in flattened condition being flexible to arched form to move the handle holes sufficiently close to each other to permit insertion of the handle journals endwise through respective handle holes to connect being approximately as long as respective journals and the handle holes being but slightly longer than the cross section of the journals, and the collapsed container being flexible to an arched form to permit insertion of both journals longitudinally through the handle holes and clearance holes.

7. In a knock-down holder for packaging bottles and the like, the combination of a flexible body sheet which is formed with side panels which are joined to each other at one end and provided with spaced handle-receiving apertures on their line of juncture, and a stiff pre-iormed handle member comprising a bail with journal portions extending toward each other from its ends, the straight line distance between the outer ends of said journal portions being approximately the same as the spacing of the body sheetapertures and the lattter being shorter than the journals, and the body sheet being flexible to arched form to bring the handle receiving apertures close enough together to permit insertion of both journal portions lengthwise through them.

8. A knockdown bottle carrier comprising a flexible sheet or paper board or the like shaped to provide a bottom panel and a pair or conjoined side panels which are flexible to angular relationship relative to each other on a told line running along their upper ends, said sheet being provided with a pair or handle-receiving holes located approximately on said fold line and spaced from each other lengthwise thereof, and a pre-tormed rigid handle having a bail portion with journal portions extending toward each other from its opposite ends, the spacing of the outer ends of said journal portions being approximately the same as the spacing of the.

-HENRYK.POWEIL. 

